2010 Reading #40: R L's Dream by Walter Mosley
Books 1-10.
Books 11-20.
Books 21-30.
31. Blonde Faith by Walter Mosley.
32. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros.
33. Justice League of America, Volume 2 by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky, et al.
34. Killer Princesses by Gail Simone and Lea Hernandez.
35. Michael Chabon Presents: The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist, Volume 1 by Michael Chabon, Kevin McCarthy, Glen David Gold, Howard Chaykin, Bill Sienkewicz, etc.
36. Gate of Ivory, Gate of Horn by Robert Holdstock.
37. Becoming Charlemagne: Europe, Baghdad, and the Empires of A.D. 800 by Jeff Sypeck.
38. Justice League of America, Volume 3 by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky, Carmine Infantino, et al.
39. My Father's Ghost by Suzy McKee Charnas.
40. R L's Dream by Walter Mosley. ccfinlay told me to read this; given my admiration for Mosley's work, I can't say I took a lot of convincing. This stand-alone novel is not a mystery; it's the story of aging, cancer-ridden bluesman Soupspoon Wise and his temporary guardian angel, clever, alcoholic, fiercely protective Kiki. There's a lot going on this book--few are better than Mosley at writing about race and class--but for me it boils down to a conversation between Kiki and Soupspoon's ex-wife Mavis. She warns Kiki about living with a bluesman, and when Kiki protests that Soupspoon is a good man, Mavis responds:
"Yeah, he's good, like an angel is good," Mavis agreed. "But we ain't made t'mess wit' angels, girl. Angels draw up to all the evil and all the hurt in the world. They watch babies dyin', that's what they do. They take all the pain and shout it out. Angels livin' with evil and with death. That's their stock in trade. Murderers and thieves and times so hard that you could cry blood. That's where you find angels. I'd no sooner spend an evenin' with an angel than I'd whore out here in these streets. I'd kill myself before I'd break bread with an angel."
The question is whether it's really Soupspoon, or perhaps Kiki, or the ghost of Robert Johnson who hovers at the periphery of the novel, that's the angel here. A sad and beautiful book.
Books 11-20.
Books 21-30.
31. Blonde Faith by Walter Mosley.
32. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros.
33. Justice League of America, Volume 2 by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky, et al.
34. Killer Princesses by Gail Simone and Lea Hernandez.
35. Michael Chabon Presents: The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist, Volume 1 by Michael Chabon, Kevin McCarthy, Glen David Gold, Howard Chaykin, Bill Sienkewicz, etc.
36. Gate of Ivory, Gate of Horn by Robert Holdstock.
37. Becoming Charlemagne: Europe, Baghdad, and the Empires of A.D. 800 by Jeff Sypeck.
38. Justice League of America, Volume 3 by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky, Carmine Infantino, et al.
39. My Father's Ghost by Suzy McKee Charnas.
40. R L's Dream by Walter Mosley. ccfinlay told me to read this; given my admiration for Mosley's work, I can't say I took a lot of convincing. This stand-alone novel is not a mystery; it's the story of aging, cancer-ridden bluesman Soupspoon Wise and his temporary guardian angel, clever, alcoholic, fiercely protective Kiki. There's a lot going on this book--few are better than Mosley at writing about race and class--but for me it boils down to a conversation between Kiki and Soupspoon's ex-wife Mavis. She warns Kiki about living with a bluesman, and when Kiki protests that Soupspoon is a good man, Mavis responds:
"Yeah, he's good, like an angel is good," Mavis agreed. "But we ain't made t'mess wit' angels, girl. Angels draw up to all the evil and all the hurt in the world. They watch babies dyin', that's what they do. They take all the pain and shout it out. Angels livin' with evil and with death. That's their stock in trade. Murderers and thieves and times so hard that you could cry blood. That's where you find angels. I'd no sooner spend an evenin' with an angel than I'd whore out here in these streets. I'd kill myself before I'd break bread with an angel."
The question is whether it's really Soupspoon, or perhaps Kiki, or the ghost of Robert Johnson who hovers at the periphery of the novel, that's the angel here. A sad and beautiful book.